Veronica: A Musketeer’s Story

Veronica: A Musketeer’s Story is set in a magical land and rife with daunting missions involving wild criminals, spine-chilling monsters, and the burning determination of a woman to prove herself in a world ruled by men. Imagine a woman as a Musketeer with an impressive ability to wield a sword. Verónica was born and raised in a reputable family of bullfighters. In fact, her grandfather and father were considered the greatest matadors of their generation. Since Verónica’s father has no son, he decides to train Verónica, who is the eldest of his five daughters. However, this decision is met with opposition from other members of the bullfighting community, and Verónica’s failure to carry out a required task worsens their plight in the community.

Feeling ashamed and dejected, Verónica flees town and embarks on a journey without any mission other than to distance herself from home. Eventually, Verónica finds a group of Musketeers scouting for recruits and becomes the first female Musketeer. As a girl, she fights to prove she deserves her position while carrying out several dangerous missions in order to curb crime with the Musketeers. However, their biggest mission will require them to fight off Étienne, a powerful sorcerer and the brother of a powerful king. Étienneas is determined to claim the throne, and he would stop at nothing no matter how dark the path gets.

You’re in for a rush! Veronica: A Musketeer’s Story combines several awesome bits to create an astounding, memorable experience. I’m talking about blood-curdling creatures, like the rizzet, which has legs and eyes on each side of its radially symmetrical body; daunting missions to capture interesting characters, like the archaeologist and professor who was found to be embezzling money from the university to fund unsanctioned archaeological digs; brilliant riddles involving intricate solutions; supernatural elements, including unicorns, sorcery, and the undead; and much more!

Jody Studdard narrates through multiple viewpoints, and the story moves at a fast, captivating pace with an exciting mission or goal to look forward to at every turn. It was a struggle to do anything else from the moment I picked up the book until I reached the very last page. The protagonist has a well-developed and likable personality; Verónica’s disappointment in herself for letting her father down is an issue some readers might relate to, and her strong resolve to win despite being faced with doubters is infectious and inspiring.

I strongly recommend Veronica: A Musketeer’s Story to young adult fiction fans who fancy a resilient heroine in a sexist historical setting. Whether she’s dancing ballet or slapping a bully, Verónica’s exciting spontaneity will have you immensely entertained.